Attachment for washtubs



Dec. 11, 1934. J. F. BRENNAN 1,983,788

ATTACHMENT FOR WASHTUBS Filed April 5, 1954 sheets-sheet 1 41/ an? pwwdA5 T 19 L 3 V A7 M 4 25 I 59, L :i i 43 A II I l| /4 53 /S s lJ s I I N4g 4 Inventor ijS/Wk renraaw 1934- J. F. BRENNAN ATTACHMENT FOR WASHTUBSFiled April 3, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor Eg 0k Z yawn am PatentedDec. 11, 1934 UNITED STATES PAY-[ E N F E ATTACHMENT FOR WASHTUBS; 1. l

Joseph Frank Brennan, YeadomiPa. j

ApplicationApr-il 3; 1934, Serial 1No.: 71 8,853 3:1?

2 Claims.v ..,(Cl. 68-15) between the walls of the tub in a manner-touse the agitatorfor washing purposes.

A further object of the invention is to provide" an attachment having inaddition to the above enumerated elements suitable pump means-for duringoperation of the agitator.

A still further object of .the invention is to providean attachment ofthis character'which is economical in construction and operation; and

in stationary tubs as are for themost part only enjoyed by users ofpower driven-washing: machines.

The invention together with its objects and ad= vantages "will be bestunderstood from a study of the following description taken in connectionwith the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a top plan view illustrating the application of theinvention.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view, certain parts being shown inelevation and other parts broken away.

Figures 3 and 4 are sectional views taken substantially on the lines 33and 44 respectively of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a sectional View taken substantially on the line 5-5 ofFigure 1, and

Figure 6 is an enlarged View through the agitator, agitator rod andswivel connection between said rod and the conduit leading from thepump, certain parts being shown in elevation and others broken away andshown in section.

Referring to the drawings by reference numerals it will be seen that 10indicates generally one section or part of a stationary Wash tub,although it is to be understood that it is not in any wise intended tolimit the invention to use with this particular type of tub.

The device per se comprises a supporting frame consisting of relativelyfixed side members 11-11 and relatively slidable side members orsections 1212 that are non-circular in cross section and have slidableengagement with elongated noncircular sockets 13 provided in one end ofthe side sections 11.

At the other end thereof the sections 11 have hinged or pivoted theretoas at 14 clamps 15 that are adapted to straddle the upper edge of oneside wall of the tub, and these clamps are provided with securing screws16 as shown. The side secforcing air under pressure into the washingwater which will give the user advantages in washing" tions12attheir'free ends are provided with clamps 17 similar-to clamp- 15 andthese clamps '17 are also provided with thumb screws l8.

Mounted on'the supporting frame is a platform or carriage 19 andmountedon the carriage is an 5 electric motor20, a bearing block '21, guideframe 22, a pump 23, and a pedestal 24 for the pump.

'The base ofthe motor 20 is secured to the platform 19 "throughthe-medium of bolt and nut means-25; 26. The-pedestal-for the pump 23 issecured to the platform 19 through the medium" of bolt'and nut meansZ'T'and it will be seen that ';.the bolts 26; 27 operate in slots 28provided therefor inthe side members 'll'of the frame. Thus it. will beseen that the platform 19 may be-adjusted longitudinally of the framefor centering the agitator, as may be required to meet I the adjustmentsofthe"supportingframe-neces-- sary to mount the device on the tub; Inthis connectionit will'beunderstood-that these tubs vary in size, andthat from the above provision has been amply made to meet therequirement of the particular tub with which the device is to be used.

As clearly shown in Figure 4 there are journalled in the bearings of theblock 21 shafts 29, 30 and on one end of these shafts are gear wheels 31that are in constant mesh with a pinion gear 32 on the armature shaft20a of the motor 20.

Also mounted on the shafts 29, 30 are segmental spiral gears 33 that areadapted to alternately mesh with a spiral gear wheel 34 that is suitablysecured to the agitator shaft 35. As clearly shown in Figure 3 theagitator shaft 35 is journalled in a bearing 36 rising from the platform19 and in a bearing 37 provided in the top portion of the guide frame22. The shaft 35 is held against vertical movement through the medium ofthe hub 34d of the gear 34 resting on the upper end of the bearing 36and a collar 38 suitably secured to the shaft beneath the platform 19.

From the description thus far it will be seen that drive is transmittedfrom the motor 20 through the gearing 31, 32 to the shafts 29, 30, andby reason of first one gear 33 meshing with the gear 34 and then asecond gear 33 meshing with the gear 34 oscillatory movement is impartedto the agitator shaft 35, it being apparent that through the provisionof the gearings 33, 34 said shaft 35 is first rotated in one directionand then in a reverse direction as indicated by the arrows in Figure 4.

The lower end of the agitator shaft 35 is threaded to screw threadedlyreceive the collar 39 with which the agitating blade 40 is equipped.

As before intimated the pump 23 is provided for forcing air underpressure into the water and in the preferred form of the invention theoutlet side of the blower 23 is provided with a conduit 41 that at itsfree end is swivelly connected as at l2 with the upper end of theagitator shaft 35. Shaft 35 as shown in Figure 6 is hollow to provide anair conduit that is in line with an air conduit 43 provided in anysuitable manner in the blade 48 and opening a'd'jacent the lower edge ofthe blade at opposite sides of the blade through the medium of theoutlet passage 44. It will thus be seen that air under pressure will beforced from the pump 23 through the conduit ll, the agitator shaft 35and the air passage 43 in the blade to discharge therefrom through thepassage 44 at opposite sides of the blade during the operation of theagitator.

For driving the pump 23 there is suitably mounted on one end of theshaft 29 a gear 45 that is in mesh with a pinion gear 46 provided on oneend of the fan shaft of the blower. Obviously during operation of theagitator pump 23 will operate for forcing air downwardly through theagitator shaft and into the washing water at opposite sides of theagitator 40.

It will be apparent that when it is not desired to use the attachment,instead of removing the attachment wholly from the tub thumb screws 18may be loosened, clamps l7 disengaged with one edge of the wall of thetub and the entire attachment then swung to one side about the pivots ofthe hinges 14.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is:

1. An attachment of the class described comprising a supporting frameprovided with means for engaging opposite walls of a tub to support theframe transversely of the tub, a platform slidably mounted on thesupporting frame, an agitator shaft extending vertically through theplatform, bearing means for the agitator shaft, said agitator shaftbeing hollow, an agitator blade mounted on the lower end of the shaftand having an air passage extending therethrough in line with theagitator shaft, and a discharge passage for the air passage opening atopposite sides of the blade; a pump for supplying air mounted on theplatform having a discharge conduit leading therefrom, a swivelconnection between said discharge conduit and the upper end of theagitator shaft, and means common to the agitator shaft and said pump forsimultaneously driving the same.

2. An attachment of the class described comprising a supporting frameprovided with means for engaging opposite walls of a tub to support theframe transversely of the tub, a platform slidably mounted on thesupporting frame, an agitator shaft extending vertically through theplatform, bearing means for the agitator shaft, said agitator shaftbeing hollow, an agitator blade mounted on the lower end of the shaftand having an air passage extending therethrough in line with theagitator shaft, and a discharge passage for the air passage opening atopposite sides of the blade; a pump for supplying air mounted on theplatform having a discharge conduit leading therefrom, a swivelconnection between said discharge conduit and the upper end of theagitator shaft, and means common to the agitator shaft and said pump forsimultaneously driving the same, said driving means including means forrotating the agitator shaft first in one direction and then in a reversedirection for oscillating the agitator blade.

JOSEPH FRANK BRENNAN.

